Singular & Plural Medical Words PDF

Singular and plural medical words & medical symbols Prof. Ferial El-Kalla Tropical medicine & infectious diseases department Tanta University  What will we learn today (ILOs)? How to apply guidelines for pluralizing terms. The meanings of the medica...

Singular and plural medical words & medical symbols Prof. Ferial El-Kalla Tropical medicine & infectious diseases department Tanta University  What will we learn today (ILOs)? How to apply guidelines for pluralizing terms. The meanings of the medical words we use today. How to pronounce the medical words we use today.  Singular and plural Singular form: means “one of something”. Plural form: means “more than one”.  Changing medical words ending in a into plural The rule: For plural keep a an add an "e". When reading words with ae and oe, only the second vowel is pronounced. Examples: Vertebra → vertebrae Pleura → pleurae Pleura Pleurae  Changing medical words ending in a into plural, cont. Now you change these to the plural form Bursa (sac of fluid near joints) → Axilla → Pleura Pleurae  Changing medical words ending in a into plural, cont. Bursa (sac of fluid near joints) → Bursae Axilla → Axillae Pleura Pleurae  Pluralizing medical terms ending in ax/ ix / yx The rule: Drop the x & add ces Example: Thorax → Thoraces Pleura Pleurae  Pluralizing medical terms ending in ax/ ix/ yx, cont. The rule: Drop the x & add ces Example: Appendix →Appendices Calyx: A cup - like structure. →Calyces Pleura Pleurae  Pluralizing medical terms ending in ex The rule: Drop ex & add ices Example: Apex →Apices Pleura Pleurae  Changing medical words ending in en into plural The rule: Drop en & add ina Examples: Lumen Tubular space or channel within any organ or structure of the body; eg. space within an artery, vein, intestine, or tube → Lumina Pleura  Changing medical words ending in is into plural The rule: Drop is & add es Examples: Diagnosis (Dx) →Diagnoses Now you change the following to the plural form Prognosis: The prediction of the course and end of a disease and the estimated chance of recovery. Keratosis: A thickened area of the skin. Pleura Pleurae  Changing medical words ending in is into plural Prognosis: The prediction of the course and end of a disease and the estimated chance of recovery. → Prognoses. Keratosis: A thickened area of the skin. →Keratoses. Pleura Pleurae  Changing medical words ending in ma into plural The rule: Keep ma & add ta Example: Angioma: an abnormal growth produced by the dilatation or new formation of blood vessels. → Angiomata  Changing medical words ending in ma into plural Practice: Fibroma: benign tumor composed of fibrous or connective tissue  Changing medical words ending in ma into plural Practice: Fibroma→ Fibromata  Changing medical words ending in on into plural The rule: Drop on & add a Example: Ganglion: knot or knot like mass An out pouching of the synovial membrane that lines a joint. This forms a cystic structure that is usually filled with synovial fluid. → Ganglia  Changing medical words ending in um into plural The rule: Drop um & add a. Example: Bacterium: unicellular microorganism → Bacteria  Changing medical words ending in us into plural The rule: Drop us & add i. Example: Bronchus: An airway passage in the respiratory tract that conducts air into the lungs → Bronchi  Changing medical words ending in us into plural Practice Digitus: A finger or a toe  Changing medical words ending in us into plural Digitus → Digiti  Changing medical words ending in itis into plural The rule: Drop itis & add itides. Example: Arthritis: Inflammation of the joints. → Arthritides  Changing medical words ending in nx into plural The rule: Drop nx & add nges. Example: Phalanx: A bone of the finger or toe. →Phalanges Some medical words follow basic English rules for pluralizing:  The easiest way is to add an “s” to the end of the singular form. Examples: Lung → Lungs Finger→ Fingers Rib → Ribs  Terms ending in Y after a consonant The rule: Change y to i and add es Practice Artery: A vessel by which oxygenated blood is conveyed from the heart to the body→ Arteries Deformity: Abnormal shape→ Deformities  Terms ending in s or ch Rule: Add es Examples: Distress → Distresses Crutch → Crutches  Rules for pluralizing medical terms: Adapted from Medical Terminology - A Body Systems Approach, 6th Edition-Barbara Gylys Singular suffix Plural suffix Singular form Pleural form -a Keep a & add e Pleura Pleurae -ax/ ix/yx Drop x & add ces Thorax Thoraces Appendix Appendices Calyx Calyces -en Drop en & add ina Lumen Lumina -is Drop is & add es Diagnosis Diagnoses -ex Drop ex & add ices Apex Apices -ma Keep ma & add ta Angioma Angiomata -on Drop on & add a Ganglion Ganglia -um Drop um & add a Bacterium Bacteria -us Drop us & add i Bronchus Bronchi -nx Drop x & add ges Phalanx Phalanges -itis Drop itis & add itides Arthritis Arthritides  Pluralizing following basic English rules: Adapted from Medical Terminology - A Body Systems Approach, 6th Edition-Barbara Gylys Singular Plural suffix Singular form Pleural form suffix -s Add es Distress Distresses -ch Add es Crutch Crutches -y Drop y & add ies Deformity Deformities  What did we learn today (ILOs)? How to apply guidelines for pluralizing terms. The meanings of the medical words we used today. How to pronounce the medical words we used today.  Test your knowledge Which of the following is the appropriate plural form for the term ganglion? A. Ganglia B. Gangliae C. Ganglioni D. Ganglions  Test your knowledge If a medical term ends with letter a; exchanging it with which of the following endings will make it plural? A. aces B. ae D. i E. ices Thank you